Guinness Book Keeps Expanding Juggling Records

 

It's a new world record for juggling entries in this year's Guinness Book of World Records!

 

The section of the book on "Human Achievements" includes five pages of juggling and joggling records, many of which were set at the 1989 IJA convention in Baltimore. Gene Jones, Guinness world judge for juggling for the past 10 years, said the big story this year is Anthony Gatto's eclipse of Albert Lucas as top record holder. Gatto was noted for being the first to flash eight clubs and juggle seven torches, and for endurance records with seven clubs, eight rings, five dubs, seven balls and seven rings. Lucas still holds records for flashing 10 balls, 8 plates and 12 rings, as well as several joggling records. A photo and entry in this year's book also noted for the first time Lucas's joggling over hurdles as a new world record.

 

The IJA's mass juggle at Baltimore, where 524 people juggled 1,997 objects, is listed. New indivudal achievement records were included for Eric Berg as a surfing and snow­skiing juggler, for Dan Holzman as an eight shaker cup juggler, and for Larry Vaksman as an eight-ball­multiplex-on-a-pogo-stick juggler.

 

Dan Bennett got a mention as a 10 bean bag juggler. However, Jones said Bennett actually only flashed the 10 bags, and it had been reported as such to Guinness. Jones explained, 'They don't always discriminate between juggling and flashing as carefully as some jugglers would like, though I have stressed it to them several times. But they're publishing the book for the whole world and not just jugglers, and sometimes have to abbreviate the information I submit." A dozen pictures illustrate this year's juggling records. Jones said, "I encourage people to send in photos because they are very interested in the visual aspect of it."

 

The joggling section included several records set in Baltimore, including the first womens joggling record (Kathy Glenn's 6:17 mile), Billy Gillen's 7:41 five ball joggled mile, and Owen Morse's 11.68 second 100-meter dash.

 

Another new 1989 record is the three ball endurance record of 6:26.31

set in England by Dave Pope and Jas Angelo. Jones said he receives more inquiries about attempts to set the endurance and joggling marathon records than any other category. But he welcomes all inquiries, and plans to be at the Los Angeles convention to witness attempts.

 

The Guinness Book of Sports Records, to be published this spring includes joggling and new basketball juggling records set by Bob Nickerson who is noted for dribbling four basketballs simultaneously and for juggling three basketballs while shooting 25 consecutive layups. To contact Jones about world records for juggling, write New York, NY.